Multi-monitor computer systems comprising multiple physical display devices connected to a common computing device such as for example a personal computer or the like, in order to provide an increased display area for computer programs running on the computing device, are becoming increasingly more popular. Depending on the environment, the physical display devices may be of different types (eg. liquid crystal displays (LCDs), cathode ray tubes (CRTs), interactive whiteboards (IWBs), other display panels or devices etc.) and/or different sizes. In order to accommodate multiple physical display devices, video cards in many computing devices have multiple sockets to receive cables from more than one physical display device. Alternatively, some computing devices have multiple video cards to receive cables from more than one physical display device. In either case, video data generated by the video card(s) of the computing device in response to execution of one or more computing devices programs is output to the appropriate physical display device for display. Other multi-monitor computer systems have networked physical display devices where the physical display devices are connected via a wireless or wired network and video data is provided to the physical display devices via the network connection for display.
As is well known in Windows™-type operating system environments, when an application is to be launched as a result of being selected through a double-click mouse or similar event, the operating system creates an instance of the selected application and launches the selected application within a window presented on the physical display device. The window for the selected application is typically placed in one of two positions; either at its location of last use or at a default location. Unfortunately, placing the window in either of these positions can be problematic in multi-monitor computer systems. In situations where the window for the selected application is positioned at its location of last use, if the window for the selected application at its last use was displayed on a physical display device that is different from the physical display device being used to select the application to be launched, when the selected application is launched, the window for the selected application will appear on a different physical display device than intended. In situations where the window for the selected application is positioned at a default location, if the default location is associated with a physical display device that is different from the physical display device being used to select the application to be launched, when the application is launched, the window for the selected application again will appear on a different physical display device than intended. In each case, the user must manipulate the displayed application window so that the application window is moved to the proper physical display device. In situations where the physical display devices are interactive whiteboards located at physically spaced locations, having to move from one interactive whiteboard to another in order to manipulate the displayed application window can be very inconvenient. As will be appreciated improvements on the display of launched applications in multi-monitor computer systems are desired.
It is therefore an object of the present invention at least to provide a novel method of launching a selected application in a multi-monitor computer system and a novel multi-monitor computer system employing the method.